“Slow down,” I demand.
He goes over a bump in the road so fast that I bounce high and hit my head on the roof.
“Ahh,” I cry. I peer out the front window at the oncoming cars.
Get off the road. We’re all going to die!
He takes a corner so fast that it feels like the car is going to roll over, and I contemplate jumping from the car.
Finally, after the most terrifying twenty minutes of my life, he pulls to a stop.
“Here you go.”
I get out and slam the door. “Never pick me up again.”
“Okay.” He smiles.
Dickhead.
I take my backpack and walk up the stairs of the hostel. It’s big and looks like a cheap and nasty hotel.
I walk in through the front doors and hear chanting.
“Drink, drink, drink.”
I look through the double doors into what looks like an outdoor courtyard bar.
A large group of people are gathered around a giant beer bong.
A guy is lying on his back, just about drowning as everyone screams and laughs.
The smell of bad body odor roils my stomach, and my eyes widen in horror.
What fresh hell is this?
Chapter 3
HAYDEN
“This?” Mom holds up a bikini on a coat hanger.
I screw up my face. “Where’s the rest of it?”
She chuckles.
I’m shopping for my trip with my mom and my best friend, Monica.
“This one?” Monica holds up a yellow bikini. It has white spots on it.
“It was a teeny-weeny, eenie-meanie yellow polka-dot bikini,” Mom sings.
I roll my eyes as I keep walking around. “There is literally nothing here I like.”
“Because you hate shopping,” they both reply in unison.
“This one?” Monica holds up a G-string black bikini and a barely there top.
“No.” I gasp. “That bikini gives out the wrong message.”
“What . . . like . . . ‘Hi, I’m Hayden, and I have a hot body; I’m ready to have some fun’？”
Mom giggles. “True, we’re getting this.” She snatches it off Monica and throws it over her arm.
“Listen.” I keep walking around the store. “If you wear revealing clothes, you attract the wrong type of man.”
Mom and Monica roll their eyes at each other. “And what type is that?” Mom sighs.
“The player kind,” I reply. “I hate players.”
“That’s the fun kind.” Monica widens her eyes. “I say have fun while you can.” She rubs her pregnant stomach. “Trust me, Haze, you’re a longtime married.”
“Don’t I know it.” Mom sighs in the background.
Monica holds up a stretchy white dress.
“No, that’s totally see through.” I gasp.
Mom snatches it off her and throws it over her arm.
“What kind of guy are you trying to attract?” Monica asks. She picks up a lace underwear set. “Oh, this is hot.”
Mom throws it over her arm.
“I’m not looking for a man.”